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Greens polling 8%, on track to elect first AM

The Green Party is confident of electing their first Assembly Member this Thursday, after today’s YouGov poll shows Greens on 8% in South Wales Central.

Greens will need around 7% across South Wales Central on the 5th May to make history and elect Wales Green Party leader Jake Griffiths as the first Green AM.

Greens have run their campaign in the region based on the slogan “2nd Vote Green”. They are only appearing on the second ballot paper and are appealing to supporters of Labour and other parties to give them their second vote.

Their campaign has shown how 74,000 Labour votes were binned in the last election because the proportional electoral system makes means that the large amounts of votes Labour get on the first vote makes it all but impossible for them to win seats on the second.

Last election, wasted Labour votes allowed the Tories and Plaid Cymru to win the four regional seats last time around. With Plaid Cymru refusing to rule out a coalition with the Tories, Greens have warned a vote for Labour could let the Tories in through the back door.

The poll also puts the party significantly above the Lib Dems who are on 5% in the region, as disillusioned supporters turn to the Greens.

Having last year achieved the historic breakthrough of winning their first Westminster seat, the Greens are pushing hard for a second breakthrough this year.

Caroline Lucas, who became Britain’s first Green Party MP last year, said:

“Today’s poll is more great news for the Green Party in Wales. Following my election last May as Britain’s first Green MP, a breakthrough in the Welsh Assembly would be part of a chain of successes, joining Green colleagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the European Parliament.”

“Green AMs are needed, now more than ever, to challenge the devastating cuts to public services being imposed by Westminster and to get Wales onto the path towards a low-carbon economy.

“Green policies provide a real alternative to swingeing cuts. We would argue for investment into the economy, creating thousands of local and sustainable jobs to beat the recession, address social problems and tackle climate change. These ideas must be heard in the Assembly chamber if they are to become a reality.”